Document display system, display device, controller and computer readable medium

ABSTRACT

A document display system includes: a plurality of display units that display an image of an electronic document including a plurality of pages for each page unit; a plurality of detecting units that detect a display operation performed by a user to each of the plurality of display units; and a control unit that controls the display unit related to the detecting unit that detects the display operation to display a page image in order of the pages corresponding to the order of detecting the display operations.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-114976 filed Apr. 25, 2007.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a document display system, a displaydevice, a controller and a computer readable medium.

2. Related Art

A printed matter ordinarily serves to display a fixed image by supplyinga coloring material or a developing material such as ink or toner to amedium such as paper. As a medium by which such a medium for fixedlydisplaying and holding the image can be replaced, a displaying andholding medium has been studied and developed on which an image isformed so as to be rewritten depending on an external wiring force andthe formed image is displayed and held even after the external writingforce is removed.

Such a displaying and holding medium includes a displaying material forforming the image in a display part as an area for displaying andholding the image. The external writing force (a chemical action such aselectric, magnetic, heat, liquid of prescribed PH) is allowed to act onthe displaying material, so that the state of the displaying material isphysically or chemically changed to form the image corresponding to theexternal writing force. Further, even after the external writing forceis removed, the formed image is maintained. Further, when a differentexternal writing force is allowed to act on the image, the previousimage is changed to an image corresponding to the new external writingforce. As described above, in view of a point that a displayed state ismaintained (stored) under a state that the external writing force isremoved, the displaying and holding medium is similar to paper. Inaddition thereto, in view of a point that the displayed image can berewritten without externally supplying the coloring material or adeveloper, the displaying and holding medium is similar to an electronicdevice. Thus, the displaying and holding medium is referred to aselectronic paper.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, a document displaysystem including: a plurality of display units that display an image ofan electronic document including a plurality of pages for each pageunit; a plurality of detecting units that detect a display operationperformed by a user to each of the plurality of display units; and acontrol unit that controls the display unit related to the detectingunit that detects the display operation to display a page image in orderof the pages corresponding to the order of detecting the displayoperations.

The present invention simply designates by a user on which displaydevice, which page is displayed, when an electronic document including aplurality of pages is displayed for a page unit on a plurality ofdisplay devices that are not previously ordered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a functional structure of a document displaysystem according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an external appearance of a display deviceaccording to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an order of displaying pagesaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of data of reservedinformation according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a functional structure of a controlleraccording to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a document right table according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a user right table according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a medium right table according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a functional structure of a display deviceaccording to a still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an external appearance of the displaydevice according to a still another embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the structure of an optically writetype electronic paper;

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an operational principle of theoptically write type electronic paper;

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the structure of an electricallyrewrite type electronic paper; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an operational principle of theelectrically rewrite type electronic paper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now, the present invention will be specifically described on the basisof embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a document display system according to oneembodiment of the present invention. In this structure, a display device1 and a controller 2 make a radio communication with each other. Thedocument display system of this embodiment has a plurality of displaydevices 1. In FIG. 1, one of the display devices is shown as arepresentative.

In the document display system of this embodiment, the display device 1is formed with a displaying and holding medium (what is calledelectronic paper) on which an image is formed so as to be rewritten inaccordance with an external writing force and the formed image isdisplayed and held even after the external writing force is removed.

As a display principle of the electronic paper, may be used displayprinciples for driving elements in a manner like a chain reaction, forinstance, a display principle that an external force such as an electricforce, a magnetic force, a thermal force, etc. is directly applied todrive elements, a display principle that elements are driven by avoltage change due to an irradiation of light, a display principle thata colored state is changed by the change of PH of liquid due to anapplication of voltage.

As one example of the electronic paper, the electronic paper thatrewrites an image by applying light (refer it to as an optically writetype electronic paper, hereinafter) will be specifically describedbelow.

The optically write type electronic paper includes, as illustrated inFIG. 11 showing a sectional structure of a display part 11 that occupiesa substantial part of the medium, a layer of an organic photo-conductivematerial (an organic photo-conductive layer) 60 used for aphotosensitive member of a copying machine and a layer of a liquidcrystal display material (a micro-capsulated cholesteric liquid crystallayer) 61 that are combined together, a pair of front and backtransparent electrodes 62 that sandwich these layers in between them anda pair of front and back transparent base material films 63 thatsandwich this laminated body in between them. In this structure, thecholesteric liquid crystal layer 61 can realize a white color displaythat reflects the light of a wide visible wavelength area and amonochromatic image of a black color display obtained by allowing thelight to be transmitted to the liquid crystal layer 61 and absorbed by ablack layer 64 provided between the cholesteric liquid crystal layer 61and the organic photo-conductive layer 60. Further, a cholesteric liquidcrystal has a feature of interfering with and reflecting a color lightcorresponding to a spiral pitch. Thus, the cholesteric liquid crystallayer 61 is formed by laminating liquid crystals having different spiralpitches, so that a color display can be realized by a simple structure.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 12 showing an operational principle of thedisplay part 11, in the optically write type electronic paper, when animage transferred to, for instance, a light adjusting element panel (alight emitting panel) for writing an image is displayed and projected onthe display part 11 and a voltage is applied to a writing electrodeprovided in the display part 11, the display part 11 instantaneouslyconverts the strength and weakness of the light into a reflectiondensity and holds the projected image. Then, an erasing voltage isapplied to the electrode so that image information held by the displaypart 11 can be erased. The optically write type electronic paper can bereused many times by repeating a writing process and an erasing process.In the optically write type electronic paper, the voltage is applied tothe electrode as described above without carrying out such an erasingprocess to project a new image on the display part, so that the imagecan be overwritten on the image information held by the display part 11.The optically write type electronic paper can be also reused many timesby such an overwriting process.

As another example of an electronic paper, an electronic paper (refer itto as an electrically rewrite type electronic paper, hereinafter) willbe specifically described in which an electric power is directly appliedto rewrite an image.

The electrically rewrite type electronic paper includes, as illustratedin FIG. 13 showing a sectional structure of a display part 11 thatoccupies a substantial part of a medium, fine colored and chargedparticles (in an illustrated example, white particles 71 and blackparticles 72) sealed between a pair of front and back electrodes 73having at least a transparent front side and a pair of front and backfilm base plates 74 having at least a transparent front side thatsandwich the electrodes 73 in between them. An air layer is providedbetween the electrode layers 73 so that the colored particles can freelymove. Further, in the matrix shaped electrode layers 73, insulatinglayers 75 are provided to prevent the color particles 71 and 72 fromcoming into contact with the electrode layers. A color filter may beused to realize a color display by a simple structure.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 showing an operational principle of thedisplay part 11, in the electrically rewrite type electronic paper,under a state that a voltage is not applied to the electrode 73 (in thiscase, it is assumed that the polarity of the electrode 73 during adriving operation the last time is plus), the white particles 71 chargedto a minus are accumulated on a back surface side. On the other hand,the black particles 72 charged to a plus accumulated on the frontsurface side. Thus, when the display part 11 is visually observed fromthe front surface side, the display part is in a state of a black color.Then, when a driver (a below-described writing unit 14) connected to theelectrically rewrite type electronic paper is operated in accordancewith image data to invert the polarity of the electrode of a prescribedpart of a matrix of the display part 11 corresponding to an image to bedisplayed by the function of the driver, a positional relation of thewhite particles 71 and the black particles 72 is changed so that animage by the contrast between the white particles 71 and the blackparticles 72 is displayed. When the driver is operated in accordancewith different image data, an image displayed on the display part 11 canbe switched by the contrast between the white particles 71 and the blackparticles 72 and the electrically rewrite type electronic paper can bereused many times.

In this embodiment, the display device 1 is formed by using theelectrically rewrite type electronic paper. As shown in FIG. 1, thedisplay device 1 includes a display part 11 for displaying and holdingan image, a communication unit 12 for carrying out a radio communicationwith the controller 2, a medium ID storing unit 13 for storing a mediumID for identifying a self device, a writing unit 14 for writing an imagereceived from the controller 2 in the display part 11 and a detectingunit 15 for detecting a display operation carried out by a user to theself device.

Further, in an external appearance of the device shown in FIG. 2, abutton 16 for instructing to update a display by the display part 11 isprovided as an operating element to receive the pressing down operationof the user as the display operation.

The device is not limited to a structure using the displaying andholding medium (the electronic paper) for the display device 1 as inthis embodiment. A device such as a liquid crystal display may be usedthat carries out a display operation by other displaying principle.

Further, a sensor for sensing a contact by the user (for instance, anelectrostatic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor) may beused as the operating element in place of the button 16.

Further, for instance, the certification of the user necessary for aprecondition of activating the display device 1 or displaying a page bythe display device 1 may be detected as the display operation.

The controller 2 of this embodiment includes, as shown in FIG. 1, acommunication unit 21 for carrying out a radio communication with thedisplay device 1, a control unit 22 for controlling a transmission of apage image to the display device 1, an operating unit 23 for receivingthe input of an operation from the user, a document information storingunit 24 for storing the information of an electronic document and areserved information storing unit 25 for storing the medium IDs receivedfrom the display device in order of receiving them.

In this embodiment, a portable telephone is used as the controller 2.However, for instance, other portable devices such as a PDA (PersonalDigital Assistants) or a stationary type device such as a desk toppersonal computer may be employed.

Further, in this embodiment, the page image of each page is formed inaccordance with the electronic document held in the document informationstoring unit 24 and the formed page image is transmitted to the displaydevice 1. However, for instance, the page image may be formed inaccordance with the electronic document received from other devicethrough a network and transmitted to the display device 1. An imageformed by a shooting function or an image reading function of the selfdevice or other device may be previously held and transmitted to thedisplay device 1.

A flow of processes by the document display system of this embodimentwill be described by referring to FIG. 3.

It is assumed that the display devices 1 (EP1, EP2, EP3) shown in FIG. 3are respectively located within a range where the display devices cancarry out the radio communication with the controller 2 (in thisembodiment, within a range of 30 cm from the controller 2).

When the user operates the controller 2 to instruct to output theelectronic document including a plurality of pages (in this embodiment,5 pages), the control unit 22 controls the page images of the pagesrespectively to become a waiting state for being transmitted in orderfrom a top page. At this time, “1” is set as the information of a pageto be processed indicating the first page that is not transmitted yet,and stored in a memory of the controller 2.

Initially, when the user presses down the button 16 of the EP1 to carryout the display operation, the EP1 detects the display operation by thedetecting unit 15 to transmit operation instructing information M1including a self medium ID to the controller 2 by the communication unit12. When the controller 2 receives the operation instructing informationM1 under the control of the control unit 22, the controller 2 forms thepage image of a page 1 in accordance with the information of the page tobe processed “1” to transmit the page image to the EP1 as a source oftransmission of the operation instructing information M1 by thecommunication unit 21, and adds “1” to the information of the page to beprocessed to obtain “2”. When the EP1 receives the page image of thepage 1, the EP1 displays the page image on the display part 11 by thewriting unit 14.

Then, when the user presses down the button 16 of the EP2 to carry outthe display operation, the EP2 detects the display operation andtransmits operation instructing information M2 including a self mediumID to the controller 2. When the controller 2 receives the operationinstructing information M2, the controller 2 transmits the page image ofa page 2 formed in accordance with the information of the page to beprocessed “2” to the EP2, and adds “1” to the information of the page tobe processes to obtain “3”. When the EP2 receives the page image of thepage 2, the EP2 displays the page image on the display part 11.

Further, when the user presses down the button 16 of the EP3 to carryout the display operation, the same processes are carried out by the RP3and the controller 2 and a page 3 is displayed on the display part 11 ofthe EP3.

Namely, the page images in order of the pages corresponding to the orderof pressing down the button are respectively displayed on the displaydevices 1 by such a simple operation as to press down the buttons 16 ofthe display devices 1 respectively.

Under the above-described state, when the user further presses down thebutton 16 of the EP2, the display of the EP2 is switched from the page 2to a page 4. Thus, a situation that the number of the prepared displaydevices 1 is smaller than the number of the pages of the electronicdocument can be met.

In this embodiment, since the displaying and holding medium (theelectronic paper) more inexpensive than the liquid crystal display isused as the display device 1, the user is assumed to have a plurality ofdisplay devices 1. Accordingly, when this system is used, an arbitrarynumber of display devices may be considered to be prepared. Even if asequential relation is not set to the arbitrary number of the displaydevices 1, when the pages of the electronic document having thearbitrary number of pages are displayed in order of the pages, thedisplay device 1 used for a display can be simply designated at a timingof actually displaying each page.

The document display system of this embodiment includes not only aninstantaneous display function that rapidly displays a correspondingpage image in accordance with the detection of the display operationcarried out by the user to the display device 1 as described above, butalso a display reserving function that temporarily stores an order ofdetecting the display operations to display the page image on thecorresponding display device 1 in accordance with a display instructionoutputted by operating the display device 1 or the controller 2 by theuser or a display instruction automatically transmitted at intervals ofprescribed time. Which of the instantaneous display function and thedisplay reserving function is used can be designated by operating thecontroller 2 by the user.

FIG. 4 shows a structural example of data of preserved information usedin the display reserving function.

The reserved information of this embodiment is information having a setof a “medium ID” included in the operation instructing informationtransmitted from the display devices 1 respectively, a “medium IDreceiving date” showing that the operation instructing information (themedium ID) is received and a “page transmitting date” showing that thepage image is transmitted to the display device. The reservedinformation is stored in the reserved information storing unit 25. Thatis, an order of receiving the operation instructing information (themedium ID) can be respectively specified by the medium ID receivingdate.

Now, a process carried out when the display reserving function isdesignated will be described below.

When the operation instructing information is received from the displaydevice 1, the reserved information is formed by using the medium IDincluded in the operation instructing information and the receiving datethereof and stored in the reserved information string unit 25. At thistime, the column of the page transmitting date of the reservedinformation is blank.

When the page image is instructed to be displayed, the reservedinformation in which the medium ID receiving date is the first and thepage transmitting date is blank is specified to transmit the page imagecorresponding to a page number to be processed to the display device 1corresponding to the medium ID of the reserved information. Further, apresent date is recorded in the page transmitting date of the reservedinformation to add the page number to be processed.

FIG. 5 shows, as another embodiment of the present invention, afunctional structure of a controller 2 in a document display systemhaving a function for limiting the display of each page of an electronicdocument for each user or each display device 1.

The controller 2 of this embodiment further includes a document righttable 26 in which a right required for displaying each electronicdocument is set, a user right table 27 in which a right permitted toeach user is set and a medium right table 28 in which a right permittedto each display device 1 in addition to the controller 2 shown in FIG.1.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the rights of three stagesof high, intermediate and low are set. When the right of the user or thedisplay device 1 is the same as or higher than the right of theelectronic document, the display of the electronic document ispermitted. On the other hand, when the right of the user or the displaydevice 1 is lower than the right of the electronic document, the pagesof the electronic document are respectively inhibited from beingdisplayed.

Specifically, when the display is limited for each display device 1, thecontroller 2 specifies the right of the display device 1 in accordancewith a medium ID included in received operation instructing informationto compare the right with the right of an electronic document as anobject and decide whether or not the display to the display device 1 ispermitted. When the display is permitted (when the right of the displaydevice 1 is the same as or higher than the right of the electronicdocument), the controller 2 returns a page image. Thus, for instance,such a restriction may be put as to display the electronic document onlyon the display device 1 that is prepared in, for instance, a conferenceroom and inhibited from being carried, and not to display the electronicdocument on the display device 1 possessed by each individual.

Further, if the display is limited for each user, when each displaydevice 1 transmits the operation instructing information, the displaydevice 1 transmits a user ID for identifying the user togethertherewith. The controller 2 obtains the right of the user in accordancewith the received user ID to compare the right with the right of theelectronic document as an object and decide whether or not the displayto the user is permitted. When the display is permitted (when the rightof the user is the same as or higher than the right of the electronicdocument), the controller 2 returns the page image. Thus, for instance,a restriction may be put that even when there is a display device 1 ofother person within a communication range of the controller 2, thecontroller 2 controls the electronic document not to be displayed on thedisplay device 1.

In this embodiment, the user ID previously stored in the display device1 is transmitted to the controller 2 to decide the right. However, forinstance, the display device 1 may be provided with a function forreceiving an input of the user ID and a password from the user or afunction for reading biological features respectively different for theusers such as a fingerprint, a sign or the like to transmit thesefeatures to the controller 2, certify the user and then decide theright. Further, the controller 2 may be provided with a coordinatingtable of the user ID and the medium ID to specify the user ID inaccordance with the medium ID transmitted from the display device 1 anddecide the right.

In this embodiment, the right is set in the document right table 26 foran electronic document unit, however, the right may be set for a pageunit.

FIG. 9 is shows a functional structure of a display device 3 accordingto a still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows anexternal appearance of the display device 3.

The display device 3 of this embodiment includes a first display unit 31and a second display unit 32 for displaying an image, a first detectingunit 33 for detecting a display operation carried out by a user to thefirst display unit 31, a second detecting unit 34 for detecting adisplay operation carried out by the user to the second display unit 32,a control unit 35 for controlling the display of a page image by thefirst display unit 31 and the second display unit 32, an operating unit36 for receiving an input of an operation from the user and a documentinformation storing unit 37 for storing the information of an electronicdocument.

In this embodiment, pressure sensitive sheets for sensing the contact ofa pen 4 are provided over the substantially entire surfaces of the firstdisplay unit 31 and the second display unit 32 and the first detectingunit 33 and the second detecting unit 34 are formed by the pressuresensitive sheets. That is, the touch of the pen to the first displayunit 31 or the second display unit 32 is detected as the displayoperation and the page image in order of pages corresponding to theorder of detecting the display operations is displayed by thecorresponding first display unit 31 or second display unit 32.

Here, the display devices 1, 3 and the controller 2 of theabove-described embodiments respectively are realized by executing aprogram according to the present invention by a computer havingresources of hardware of a calculating part such as a CPU (CentralProcessing Unit) or a storing part such as a RAM (Random Access Memory).

Specifically, the program according to the present invention ispreviously stored and held in a ROM (Read Only Memory) provided in thecomputer. The program is read, developed in the storing part andexecuted by the calculating part to realize function units according tothe present invention.

For instance, a medium connecting part such as a slot for loading anexternal storing medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory)or a memory cartridge may be provided in the computer to read theprogram by the medium connecting part from the external storing mediumthat stores and holds the program according to the present invention soas to be read by the computer and execute the program. Further, forinstance, a communication part may be provided in the computer forcommunicating with a server device having a function for transmittingthe program according to the present invention through a network toreceive the program from the server device by the communication part andexecute the program. Further, the program according to the presentinvention externally obtained as described above may be stored and heldin an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) of the computer to read and execute theprogram from the HDD.

The function units of the present invention may be formed not by asoftware structure as described above, but by an exclusive hardwarecircuit.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the present inventionhas been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. Itis not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variationswill be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodimentswere chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of theinvention and its practical applications, thereby enabling othersskilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodimentsand with the various modifications as are suited to the particular usecontemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention defined bythe following claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1

-   11 display part-   12 communication-   13 medium ID-   14 writing-   15 detection-   21 communication-   22 control-   23 operation-   24 document information-   25 reserved information    FIG. 5-   21 communication-   22 control-   23 operation-   24 document information-   25 reserved information-   26 document right table-   27 user right table-   28 medium right table    FIG. 9-   31 first display-   32 second display-   33 first detection-   34 second detection-   35 control-   36 operation-   37 document information

What is claimed is:
 1. A document display system comprising: a pluralityof display units that display an image of an electronic documentincluding a plurality of pages; a plurality of detecting units thatdetect a display operation performed by a user to each of the pluralityof display units, the plurality of display devices having no sequentialrelationship to one another with respect to the electronic document; aplurality of display devices including the plurality of display unitsand the plurality of detecting units; a control unit that controls eachone of the plurality of display units related to a corresponding one ofthe plurality of detecting units that detects the display operation todisplay a plurality of page images in an order corresponding to theorder of detecting the display operations; and a controller includingthe control unit, wherein: the plurality of page images are sequentiallydisplayed on the plurality of display units, the plurality of displayunits having no immediate sequential relationship to one another withrespect to the electronic document, each of the plurality of page imagesis displayed on one of the plurality of display units and is notdisplayed on others of the plurality of display units, each of theplurality of display devices include: a first transmitting unit thattransmits device identifying information for identifying a self to thecontroller in accordance with the detection of the display operation ofa detecting unit corresponding to each of the plurality of the displaydevices; and a first receiving unit that receives from the controller apage image allowed to be displayed on a displaying unit corresponding toeach of the plurality of the display devices, the controller includes: asecond receiving unit that receives the device identifying informationfrom the plurality of display devices; a second transmitting unit thattransmits the page image to the plurality of display devices; a firststoring unit that stores the device identifying information of each ofthe plurality of the display device permitting each of the pages to bedisplayed; and a second storing unit that stores user identifyinginformation for identifying the user who permits each page to bedisplayed, the control unit controls the page image in order of thepages corresponding to the order of receiving the device identifyinginformation to be transmitted to a display device corresponding to thedevice identifying information by the second transmitting unit, in acase where the display device corresponding to the received deviceidentifying information is permitted to display an object page, thecontrol unit transmits the page image of the object page to the displaydevice by the second transmitting unit, the first transmitting unittransmits the user identifying information of the user who operates thedisplay device together with the device identifying information, and ina case where user corresponding to the user identifying informationreceived together with the device identifying information is permittedto display the object page, the control unit controls the page image ofthe object page to be transmitted to the display device corresponding tothe device identifying information by the second transmitting unit. 2.The document display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlunit stores information showing the display units related to thedetection of the display operations in order of detection of the displayoperations and controls the display unit in order of detectioncorresponding to the order of the pages of the page image to display thepage image in accordance with an instruction for displaying the pageimage.
 3. The document display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepage image is a first page of the electronic document, and a subsequentdisplayed page image of the plurality of page images is not a page ofthe electronic document immediately subsequent to the first page of theelectronic document.
 4. The document display system as claimed in claim1, wherein the page image is a first page of the electronic document,and a subsequent displayed page image of the plurality of page images isa third page of the electronic document, the third page of theelectronic document being immediately subsequent to a second page of theelectronic document, the second page being immediately subsequent to thefirst page of the electronic document.